Short Summary

In Portugal, campaigning has been continuing in the country's Presidential elections. doubts over the candidacy?

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In Portugal, campaigning has been continuing in the country's Presidential elections. doubts over the candidacy of one of the main contenders, Prime Minister, Jose Pinheiro de Azevedo, were cleared yesterday (6 June) when the Portuguese supreme court announced that he could stand. Another candidate, Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho, carried on his flamboyant campaigning with a rally in Lisbon.

SYNOPSIS: Red carnations were handed out to the crowds before the start of the rally. The flower symbolises the military coup in April 1974 which overthrew the former government of Dr. Marcello Caetano and it was Major Carvalho who coordinated the whole affair. His backing in the elections comes from groups who want a regime based on soldier and worker councils rather than parliamentary democracy. But he fell from favour with many Portuguese last November when a military report named him as leader of an abortive revolt.

15,000 people poured into Lisbon's Eduardo the Seventh park to hear the colourful Major Carvalho attack the terms of foreign aid to Portugal. He has been a strong critic of the United States and West Germany in the past. Two weeks ago, the Major was touring the country in a special silver train, along with a thousand of his supporters, and addressing campaign rallies. But it is yet to be seen if his flamboyant style of campaigning will win him the Presidential election on the 27th of June.